N° 72. 66 66 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21. Nes miranda quidem, fed nuper Confule Junio Dira quod exemplum feritas produxerit ævo. JUVENAL, Sat, 15. What I relate's more strange, and e'en exceeds A multitude confpir'd to this most horrid fact. As tragic poets, fince the birth of time, But true, and perpetrated in our days. DRYDEN "TO THE REV. SIMON OLIVE-BRANCH. "Rev. Sir, As the world in general are fond of a fad S story, and as I do not observe many of this na"ture in your very entertaining work, I deter"mined to fend you the following account of the celebrated Urban Grandier. I think it may " con "conduce to two or three moral purpofes: we 66 may learn from it a leffon of caution against making enemies in the period of our profperity, "even among those whofe imbecility or folly we "most despise. The world hates those who are "in the pride of fecurity; and it is in the power "of malice to operate our ruin with the groffeft engine, when once the fpirit of envy is excited against us. It fhews us too, how little we "fhould pique ourfelves on the progrefs of re"finement in thefe latter ages, when we confi"der, that in the time of Louis the Thirteenth, “but the third Prince from that unfortunate Mo"narch whose attrocious murder has brought "fresh ignominy upon this boastful period, the "fanction of the French Government was given "to an act of horror, hardly equalled in the an"nals of the Inquifition. "Loudun is a fmall town in Poitou, where "there was established a Monastery of Nuns, the 66 principal object of which was the inftruction of young women, whom they received as board66 crs. In the year 1632, thefe young ladies loft “their Director, a perfon venerable for his piety "and As " and wisdom, whofe name was Mouffaut. "the interiour of a convent does not abound in "amufement, the young perfons it contained let "no opportunity país of diverting themselves: and among other frolics, it was their humour to frighten each other by perfonating the ghost of "their deceased Director. Jean Mignon, a Ca"non of the Collegiate Church of Saint Croix, " at Loudun, was chofen in the place of Mouf"faut. It was remarked that, inftead of discoun"tenancing these sports, he gave them every pof"fible encouragement, from which many have "fince concluded that he had already caft his eyes 66 uponthefe young actreffes, as the inftruments of "that inveterate hate with which he afterwards purfued the unfortunate Urban Grandier, and "confidered the tricks with which they were at "prefent amufed, as a proper preparation for thofe "more ferious impoftures in which they were "foon to be exercised. "The man who is to figure in this little hif"tory was the fon of a Notaire Royal at Sableé, "and born at Rouéres, a town at fome little dif tance from Loudun. It was faid that he learn "ed "ed magic of his father and uncle; but the in"habitants of the place have borne the beft tef ،، timony to their good conduct and demeanour. "Urban Grandier ftudied under the Jefuits at "Bourdeaux, who, on account of his great "talents, confidered him with no common re gard. As they were convinced that he would "do credit to their order, they bestowed upon “him the benefice of St. Peter at Loudun, of "which they were the patrons, and procured "for him a Prebend in the Church of Sainte "Croix. "Such confiderable preferment excited the envy of his ecclefiaftical brethren. He was a young man too of a moft prepoffeffing figure, and fomething great and elevated was manifefted in "all his actions and deportment. In his perfon "there was an attention to the Graces, that was "fome reproach to him among his Order, but "which enhanced the general prejudice in his faHe was every way accomplished to "make a figure in the world; and poffeffed, in "your. 66 an uncommon degree, the talent of expreffing himfelf with eafe and force in converfation. "The The fame periority attended him in the pul«pit; anca whatever fubject he was engaged, he left me thing to be wifhed by the correcteft judges. 7 "The rufticity of the monks could not bear to contemplate the credit which fuch accomplish*ments attracted; their jealoufy grew the more "malignant from the reftraint impofed on it by the elevation of his character; till, at length, it 4 was carried beyond all bounds of moderation by "the deserved contempt with which the efforts "of their malice were regarded. The friends of "Grandier found infinite charms in his conver“fation and manners; but to his enemies his carriage was full of loftinefs and difdain. All his defigns and undertakings were marked with "culiar firmnefs and intrepidity: and in matters "of interest he was not eafily wronged or over"borne. But he repelled every attack with such vigour and refentment, that his enemies were rendered irreconcileable. pe "But innocent as was Grandier of the crime ❝ of magic, he was undoubtedly chargeable on "the |